M

to make up one’s mind — zdecydować, postanowić

Jim, you have to make up your mind quickly.

never mind — nic nie szkodzi, mniejsza o to

‘I’m so sorry about that.’ ‘Oh, never mind.’

once in a blue moon — bardzo rzadko, raz na sto lat

He vistis us once in a blue moon but when he does, he usually brings everyone a lot of gifts.

to be over the moon — być szczęśliwym

She has passed the exam and is over the moon.

N

to hit the nail on the head — trafi ć w sedno, trafnie coś ująć

‘We must cut down on buying things.’ ‘You’ve hit the nail on the head! That’s what we need to do.’

a hard nut to crack — twardy orzech do zgryzienia

Convincing people that these changes will bring benefi ts later will be a hard nut to crack.

in a nutshell — krótko i zwięźle, w pigułce

I’ll try to put everything in a nutshell. If you need more explanation, please let me know later.

O

to do overtime — pracować na nadgodzinach.

She’s done a lot of overtime this month.

P

to be a pain in the neck — być denerwującym, wkurzającym

You’re such a pain in the neck! Stop asking me to do these stupid things.

a part-time job — praca na pół etatu.

2/4

When I was a student I had a part-time job at a pub.

to feel peckish — mieć ochotę coś przekąsić

I feel a bit peckish. Where can we go and have something to eat?

to get paid peanuts — dostawać grosze (za pracę)

Polish workers get paid peanuts in Italy.

I don’t have two pennies to rub together — nie mieć złamanego grosza

Could you lend me some money? I’m sorry, but I I don’t have two pennies to rub together myself.

to buy a pig in a poke — kupować kota w worku

I always check electronic equipment in the shop where I buy it because I don’t want to buy a pig in a poke.

plastic — karta bankowa/kredytowa

Can I pay with plastic?

to take pot-luck — (przen.) próbować szczęścia, zgadzać się zjeść to, co w danej chwili jest w domu; brać udział w zwykłym

posiłku gospodarzy

I had no idea you were coming and didn’t prepare anything special, so you’ll just have to take pot luck, ok?

to talk at cross purposes — nie rozumieć się wzajemnie

I’m sorry, but I think we’ve been talking at cross purposes. What I meant was...

Q

quid — funt, funciak (kolokwialnie)

Can you lend me 20 quid?

R

to smell a rat — zwąchać pismo nosem, domyślać się czegoś podejrzliwego

This guy makes a lot of money but I smell a rat somewhere here. You can’t be so young and have such a fortune.

to catch a person red-handed — złapać kogoś na gorącym uczynku

The worker was caught red-handed trying to steal some equipment.

red-tape – biurokracja

I can’t stand all this red-tape. Filling in these forms is so boring!

to be made redundant — zostać zredukowanym (zwolnionym)

Three poeple were made redundant last week when the new boss appeared.

to hand in one’s resignation — złożyć wymówienie

Nina handed in her resignation today in the morning.

to rip someone off — naciągnąć kogoś, zedrzeć z kogoś

3/4

I was ripped off by a taxi driver in Paris.

to learn/show the ropes — zapoznać kogoś z tajnikami pracy, zajęcia , wtajemniczać kogoś w jakąś pracę

Mr Fripp will show you the ropes today and you will be able to start your work tomorrow.

rule-of-thumb — wypróbowany sposób, praktyczna metoda

As a rule of thumb, cats this age should not be given this type of food.

to run out of something — zużyć cały zapas czegoś

Can I have a box of matches? I’m sorry, we’ve run out of them.

S

to be given the sack — dostać wypowiedzenie, zostać wyrzuconym z pracy

Fred was given the sack for coming late to work.

to take something with a pinch of salt — nie brać czegoś dosłownie, brać coś z przymrużeniem oka

Don’t take everything she says so seriously, take it with a pinch of salt, OK?

to be self-employed — prowadzić własną działalność gospodarczą

To carry out this job I have to be self-employed.

to be shortlisted — być na liście kandydatów na stanowisko pracy

We are writing to inform you that you have been shortlisted for the position of a bus driver.

to be sick of something — mieć czegoś dość

I’m sick of the English weather!

to sign on — pójść na zasiłek dla bezrobotnych

Fred had to sign on after he was fi red unexpectedly.

to be skint — być spłukanym

Don’t ask Henry to lend you money — he is skint this month.

to get smashed — upić się

She got smashed last night and today she’s got a very bad hangover.

to be snowed under — być absolutnie zawalonym robotą.

This week is very diffi cult for me because I’m totally snowed under.

for a song — za psie pieniądze, za grosze

Look at these DVDs. I bought them at Virgin for a song.

a splitting headache — okropny ból głowy

I’ve got a splitting headache. Do you have any painkillers?

on the spot — od razu, natychmiast, na miejscu

4/4

We can eat something on the spot.

that hit the spot! — ale się najadłem!

That hit the spot! Thank you for a lovely dinner.

T

to talk something over — omówić coś, przedyskutować

I think we have to talk this over right now.

a tenner — banknot dziesięciofuntowy

Can you lend me a tenner?

on second thoughts — po namyśle

On second thoughts, I think you shouldn’t go there.

to get into trouble — popaść w tarapaty

Tom, please be careful and don’t get into trouble this time.

U

ups and downs — zmienne koleje losu

This company had its ups and downs but now is very successful.

slow on the uptake – wolno orientujący się, mniej pojętny

Can you say that again? I’m rather slow on the uptake this morning.

V

to veg — zostać w domu i nic nie robić [from vegetate — wegetować]

I think I’ll just stay at home and veg.

W

a hole-in-the-wall — bankomat

Excuse me, where is the nearest hole-in-the-wall?

wear and tear — zniszczenie spowodowane zwykłym zużyciem

After having a laptop for six years you can expect some wear and tear.

to keep the wolf from the door — z trudem godzić wydatki z dochodami, mieć pieniądze tylko na opłatę rachunków

i na jedzenie i nie być w stanie nic zaoszczędzić.

Well, you know I earn just enough to keep the wolf from the door. I must fi nd a better job.

Y

suit yourself – rób jak chcesz (używane do przekazania zdenerwowania czyjąś decyzją), (kolokwialnie)

‘I don’t want to see that fi lm.’ ‘Well, suit yourself then.’